According to the arrangement plan approved by the Ho Chi Minh City Party Committee and the Ho Chi Minh City People's Council, the entire Ho Chi Minh City will adjust 272 out of a total of 273 existing commune-level administrative units, keeping only one unit, Thanh An commune, intact.
After this arrangement, Ho Chi Minh City will have 102 commune-level administrative units, including 78 wards and 24 communes.
Thanh An commune is an island commune in Can Gio district, located about 70 km from the center of Ho Chi Minh City and completely isolated from the mainland.
This is also the only area in the city with a geographically isolated location and is classified as a particularly difficult area.
Thanh An was approved by the Prime Minister to be recognized as an island commune from July 1, 2021.
Currently, Thanh An island commune has an area of about 131 km2, with a population of more than 4,200 people.
The leader of the People's Committee of Can Gio district said that keeping the administrative unit of Thanh An commune will help the locality continue to enjoy separate support mechanisms and policies.
This is an important condition to promote socio-economic development and improve people's lives in the context of many difficulties in infrastructure and transportation.
Can Gio district currently has an area of over 704 km2, a population of about 76,000 people, including Can Thanh town and six communes: Binh Khanh, Tam Thon Hiep, An Thoi Dong, Long Hoa, Ly Nhon and Thanh An.
After implementing the arrangement plan, Can Gio district will have 4 commune-level administrative units.
Binh Khanh commune: Merged from Binh Khanh commune, Tam Thon Hiep and part of An Thoi Dong; area of about 158 km2, population of 31,400 people.
An Thoi Dong commune: Including the rest of An Thoi Dong commune and Ly Nhon commune; area of 257 km2, population of 18,400 people.
Can Gio commune: Long Hoa commune and Can Thanh town are merged; area of about 157 km2, population of 22,000 people.
Thanh An commune: Maintained in its current state, area of 131 km2, population of more than 4,200 people.
Ho Chi Minh City also decided to restore some historical names for the new wards after the merger.
The name Saigon will be given to a ward in District 1, Cho Lon will be given to a ward in District 5 and Gia Dinh is the new name of a ward in Binh Thanh District.
